Dead ilkie gooey from beak to shoulders. What killed it?

[shmccarthy]

I don't know if a rooster will help much. Sure he could teach them to be more observant but you have to get a good rooster for that. I've had one rooster, out of the many I've owned, that would alarm when he saw a predator. He only made sure they knew of the danger, and could hide. And he didn't help much or even make a sound when a fox attacked in the middle of the day... Anyways you can go that route but you have to make sure you get the right rooster. But there are ways to keep snakes out.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Don't waste your money on mothballs or other ineffective "deterrents". Just put a nice rooster in and he will teach them to be more observant and wary.

Ditto. A better course of action would be to eliminate the snakes food source (mice) and hiding places (tall grass, bushes, debris piles). I've always been of the opinion that moth balls and such don't work bc snakes don't smell the air, they taste it. Beside, if the moth balls were such a great snake deterrent they might have named them snake balls and sold alot more of them

 

[Chickiepoo23]

I used to have guinea fowl... they are NOISY! I knew they were good for eating ticks but not that they were after snakes. I'll have to consider that as an option, but I also know they have a habit of gravitating towards roads and I'm not sure I can deal with more deaths. I'd read that spreading sulfur around the perimeter may help with snakes and it means that they would still stick around to keep rodents away.

 

[Mickey Lou 04]

I had never heard of using sulfur, sounds like something that might work.

 

[Sparrow]

Sulfur is a wives-tale. Mothballs are a wives-tale. All snake deterrents are wives-tales and completely ineffective. You want no snakes around, you must either 1. Move out of the country or 2. Pick up any garbage lying around for them to hide under. Reptile enthusiasts like me actually lay down boards and such in our yards in hopes they will attract snakes. Control your rodent population. Realize that you live in a world that snakes belong in, and you will see them from time to time.

To the OP-Your best bet is to layer a few rows of chicken wire or finer mesh around at least a few feet vertically from the ground on your chicken run perimeter fencing. It will make it much more difficult for a larger snake to fit through.

 

[Chickiepoo23]

CAUGHT IT!!! I went down to put the silkies to bed and thank goodness I went down a little earlier than planned since there was a very distinct black body half into the coop. I peaked through the window and a black snake was peaking right back at me. Thank goodness the more savvy birds were hiding at the back of the coop away from being snackables. I promptly returned the silkie to where it was safe and got my fiance. Together we managed to wrangle the 4 ft snake and then I drove it far away from my house. THAT was a nerve wracking drive. I love black snakes and have always been very careful not to hurt any when they bask on my driveway however, this one now viewed the coop as a food dispenser. So rather than kill it, I relocated it. The thing that just boggle my mind is that all grass near the coop is trimmed way down (to keep other predators away), there is no junk or easy hiding places since the coops are all stilted AND we have wire all around the run. This was one very lucky or determined snake to be able to get in. At least we now know what did kill my Powder Puff (*sniff*) and have to hope that other snakes will give the area a wide berth. They have also started integrating with the older flock and turkeys so there are older and wiser heads to protect them.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[MrsBachbach]

Well for future reference, I have heard DE advertised as a snake deterrent. Make a chalk line around your coop (may need to be wider than a line) with it. Apparently it is an irritant to the snakes skin and they will avoid it. Of course the downside is, once wet, it needs to be reapplied.

 

[shmccarthy]

CAUGHT IT!!! I went down to put the silkies to bed and thank goodness I went down a little earlier than planned since there was a very distinct black body half into the coop. I peaked through the window and a black snake was peaking right back at me. Thank goodness the more savvy birds were hiding at the back of the coop away from being snackables. I promptly returned the silkie to where it was safe and got my fiance. Together we managed to wrangle the 4 ft snake and then I drove it far away from my house. THAT was a nerve wracking drive. I love black snakes and have always been very careful not to hurt any when they bask on my driveway however, this one now viewed the coop as a food dispenser. So rather than kill it, I relocated it. The thing that just boggle my mind is that all grass near the coop is trimmed way down (to keep other predators away), there is no junk or easy hiding places since the coops are all stilted AND we have wire all around the run. This was one very lucky or determined snake to be able to get in. At least we now know what did kill my Powder Puff (*sniff*) and have to hope that other snakes will give the area a wide berth. They have also started integrating with the older flock and turkeys so there are older and wiser heads to protect them. 

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Good job on catching the snake! Hopefully your problem is gone now

 

[Chickiepoo23]

Here is hoping! Now if we can just keep them cool in this heat wave.